Latin Translation at Sight

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Project Gutenberg's Helps to Latin Translation at Sight, by Edmund Luce

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Title: Helps to Latin Translation at Sight

Author: Edmund Luce

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Shorter Table of Contents

List of Passages for Translation

Appendices

Index

Transcriber’s Notes

HELPS TO

LATIN TRANSLATION AT SIGHT

HELPS TO

LATIN TRANSLATION AT SIGHT

BY THE

REV. EDMUND LUCE

WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE

BY THE

REV. THE HON. E. LYTTELTON, M.A.

HEADMASTER OF ETON

‘Tu regere imperio populos, Romane, memento;
Hae tibi’erunt artes; pacisque imponere morem.
Parcere subiectis, et debellare superbos.’

Vergil, Aeneid, vi. 851 3

‘Fecisti patriam diversis gentibus unam,

Profuit iniustis te dominante capi.

Dumque offers victis proprii consortia iuris,

Urbem fecisti quod prius orbis erat.’

Rutilius, i. 63-6

ETON COLLEGE

SPOTTISWOODE & CO., LIMITED

1908

All rights reserved

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Whatever controversies may be astir as to the precise objects of a classical training, it will hardly be disputed that if that
teaching has been successful the pupils will sooner or later be able to make out an ordinary passage of ‘unseen’ Latin or
Greek. It is a test to which the purely linguistic teacher must obviously defer: while the master, who aims at imparting
knowledge of the subject-matter must acknowledge, if his boys flounder helplessly in unprepared extracts, that they
could have learnt about ancient life better through translations.
In, addition to the value of unseen translation, as a test of teaching it constitutes an admirable thinking exercise. But so
numerous are the various books of extracts already published that I should have seen nothing to be gained from the
appearance of a new one like the present volume were it not, as far as I know, different in two important respects from
others. It contains six Demonstrations of how sentences are to be attacked: and further, the passages are chosen so that
if a boy works through the book he can hardly fail to gain some outline knowledge of Roman Republican history.
As to the Demonstrations, their value will be evident if it is realised that failure in this sort of translation means failure to
analyse: to split up, separate, distinguish the component parts of an apparently jumbled but really ordered sentence.
A beginner must learn to trust the solvent with which we supply him; and the way to induce him to trust it is to show it to
him at work. That is what a Demonstration will do if only the learner will give it a fair chance.
In regard to the historical teaching contained in the extracts, there can be little doubt that the present tendency of
classical teaching is towards emphasising the subject-matter as well as the language. It is felt that as training in political
principles the reading of Greek and Roman authors offers unique advantages, such as many English boys can
appreciate, who are deaf to the literary appeal. The choice therefore of historical extracts in chronological order is an
attempt to recognise both the two great aims of classical teaching at once. At any rate there is no reason to suppose that
the linguistic exercise is in any way impaired by being combined with a little history.
I should like to direct attention also to the notes given on the extracts, and the purpose they are meant to serve. If no
notes had been given some of the passages which are important or interesting historically would have been found too
difficult for the boys for whom they are intended. Moreover, most of the notes concern the historical aspect of the
extract to which they belong, and are part of the scheme by which the subject-matter of the passage is emphasised.
Although the passages themselves are not strictly graduated, the help given in translation becomes less and less as the
boy goes through the book; and it is obvious that those extracts which illustrate the later periods of Roman History will
be found more difficult than the legends and stories which belong to an earlier age. In cases where no help at all is
desired, the Miscellaneous Passages (which are without notes) may be used.

E. LYTTELTON.

v

vi

Eton: April 1908.

EDITOR’S PREFACE

The aim of the present book is to help boys to translate at sight. Of the many books of unseen translation in general use
few exhibit continuity of plan as regards the subject-matter, or give any help beyond a short heading. The average boy,
unequal to the task before him, is forced to draw largely upon his own invention, and the master, in correcting written
unseens, has seldom leisure to do more than mark mistakes—a method of correction almost useless to the boy, unless
accompanied by full and careful explanation when the written work is given back.
Now that less time is available for Latin and Greek, new methods of teaching them must be adopted if they are to hold
their own in our public schools. When Lord Dufferin could say, ‘I am quite determined, so far as care and forethought
can prevent it, that the ten best years of my boy’s life shall not be spent (as mine were) in nominally learning two dead
languages without being able to translate an ordinary paragraph from either without the aid of a dictionary;’ and Dr.
Reid could write, ‘It is not too much to say that a large number of boys pass through our schools without ever dreaming
that an ancient writer could pen three consecutive sentences with a connected meaning: chaos is felt to be natural to
ancient literature: no search is made for sense, and the Latin or Greek book is looked upon as a more or less fortuitous
concourse of words;’ when Dr. Rouse can assert, ‘The public schoolboy at nineteen is unable to read a simple Latin or
Greek book with ease, or to express a simple series of thoughts without atrocious blunders: he has learnt from his
classics neither accuracy nor love of beauty and truth’—it is obvious that, for the average boy, the system of
perfunctorily prepared set-books and dashed-off unseens is a failure. The experience of every teacher who is also an
examiner, and who has had to deal with public schoolboys, will confirm this; but during twenty-five years’ teaching and
examining of boys in almost every stage, I have found that translation at sight, taught upon the plan of this book, not only
produces a good result, but teaches a boy how to grapple with the bare text of a Latin author better than the habitual
practice of translating at sight without any help at all. If the average boy is to be taught how to translate, his interest must
be awakened and sustained, and the standard of routine work made as high as possible. The clever boys are, as a rule,
well provided for; but, even for them, the methods of this book have been found to be the shortest road to accuracy
and style in translation. Moreover by this means they have gained a firsthand acquaintance with Latin literature and the
sources of Roman history.
It is impossible here to enter into ‘the question of the close and striking correspondence between the history, the
literature, and the language of Rome. It was not until the history of Rome threw its mantle over her poetry that the
dignity of the poet was recognised and acknowledged. . . . In the same way the life of the Roman people is closely
bound up with the prose records, and the phenomena of the Roman Empire lend a human interest to all representative
Roman writers.’ 1 Considerations of this kind form a sufficient justification of the method here adopted of employing the
historical records of Rome as a basis of teaching.
In this book the Introduction (pp. 1-14) is written to teach a boy how to arrive at the meanings of words (Helps to
Vocabulary, pp. 1-5); how to find out the thought of a sentence through analysis and a knowledge of the order of
words in Latin (Helps to-Translation, pp. 5-12); how to reproduce in good English the exact meaning and
characteristics of his author (Helps to Style, pp. 13-14).
In the Demonstrations (pp. 15-58) the boy is taught to notice all allusions that give him a clue to the sense of the
passage, to grapple with the difficulties of construction, to break up sentences, and to distinguish between the principal
and the subordinate thoughts both in prose and verse.
The Passages have been carefully selected, and contain accounts of nearly all the important events and illustrious men of
the period of history to which they belong. They are chronologically arranged and divided into six periods, covering
Roman history from B.C. 753 to B.C. 44, leaving the Augustan and subsequent period to be dealt with in a second
volume. The translation help given in the notes is carefully graduated. The notes to Parts I., II., III. (marked D, pp. 60-
107) are thus intended to help younger boys to deal with passages which would in some cases be too difficult for them;
less help in translation is given in Parts IV. and V. (marked C, pp. 108-159); while the notes to Part VI. (marked B,
pp. 160-236) are mainly concerned with historical explanation, illustration, or allusion.
The Miscellaneous Passages (pp. 238-271), chosen for me by my brother-in-law, Mr. A. M. Goodhart (Assistant
Master at Eton College), are added to provide occasional passages in which no help is given. It is hoped that these,
which deal with subjects of general interest, and include a somewhat wide range of authors, may give variety to the
book, and supply more verse passages than the historical character of the rest would admit. For the sake of variety, or
to economise time, some of the passages may be translated viva voce at the discretion of the master.
The Appendices (pp. 274-363) may be referred to when a boy finds himself in doubt about the value of a Conjunction
(I.), the force of a Prefix (II.), the meaning of a Suffix (III.), the Life and Times of his Author (VI.), or the historical
significance of a date (VII.). In Appendix V. a Demonstration is given to show how a boy, after sufficient practice in
translation by the help of analysis, may to some extent learn to think in Latin, and so to follow the Latin order in arriving
at the thought.
The important question of what maps should accompany the book will be best solved by providing each boy with a
copy of Murray’s Small Classical Atlas, edited by G. B. Grundy, which will be found to be admirably adapted to the
purpose. By the kindness of Mr. John Murray, two plans (Dyrrachium and Pharsalus), not at present included in the
Atlas, have been specially drawn to illustrate passages on pp. 216 and 218, and are placed opposite the text.

vii

viii

ix

x

As far as possible I have acknowledged my indebtedness to the Editors whose editions of the classics have been
consulted. For the historical explanations I am under special obligation to the histories of Ihne and Mommsen, to the
‘Life of Cicero’ by the Master of Balliol, and to the ‘Life of Caesar’ by Mr. Warde Fowler. I have also to thank
Messrs. Macmillan for allowing me to quote from Dr. Potts’ ‘Aids to Latin Prose,’ and from Professor Postgate’s
Sermo Latinus. For the prose passages the best texts have been consulted, while for Livy, Weissenborn’s text edited
by Müller (1906) has been followed throughout. As regards the verse passages, the text adopted is, wherever possible,
that of Professor Postgate’s recension of the Corpus Poetarum Latinorum. For the Short Lives I have found useful
‘The Student’s Companion to Latin Authors’ (Middleton and Mills), but I owe much more to the works of Teuffel,
Cruttwell, Sellar, Tyrrell, and Mackail.
The Head Master of Eton, besides expressing his approval of the book, has kindly offered to write an Introductory
Note. He has also given me an exceptional opportunity of testing more than half the historical passages by allowing them
to be used in proof, until the book was ready, for the weekly unseen translation in the three blocks of fifth form,
represented by the letters, B, C, D. The criticisms and suggestions made by Classical Masters at Eton, who have used
the passages week by week, have been very valuable, and, in particular, my thanks are due to Mr. Impey, Mr. Tatham,
Mr. Macnaghten, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Ramsay. My thanks are also due to the Lower Master, Mr. F. H. Rawlins, for
kindly reading the MS. of the Introduction, Demonstrations, and Appendices I.-IV., and for giving me the benefit of his
wide experience.
To my brother-in-law, Mr. A. M. Goodhart, I owe it that I undertook to write the book; without his advice it would
never have seen the light, and he has given me most valuable help and encouragement at every stage.
As regards the choice of type and style of printing, I owe a special debt of thanks to Mr. W. Hacklett (manager of
Messrs. Spottiswoode’s Eton branch), whose unceasing care and attention has been invaluable in seeing the book
through the press. I must also acknowledge the patience and skill of Messrs. Spottiswoode’s London staff in carrying
out the many alterations which I have found to be inseparable from the task of bringing each passage and its notes into
the compass of a single page.
In conclusion I should like to say that it has been my aim throughout to adhere to what is best in Roman literature, and
to omit passages the choice of which can only be justified by regarding their literary form apart from their moral value.
Latin literature contains so much that is at once excellent in style and noble in thought that it seems a grave mistake to
exalt the one at the expense of the other.

Maxima debetur puero reverentia.

EDMUND LUCE.

Windsor: April 1908.

1. The late Professor Goodhart.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introductory Note
v

Editor’s Preface
vii

List of Passages for Translation
xv

Index of Authors
xxiii

INTRODUCTION. HOW TO TRANSLATE AT SIGHT
1-14

I.Helps to Vocabulary
1-5

II.Helps to Translation
5-12

III.Helps to Style
13-14

DEMONSTRATIONS IN UNSEEN TRANSLATION
15-58

PASSAGES FOR TRANSLATION AT SIGHT
59-236

(1)Illustrating Roman History.—

Part I.—Regal Period, B.C. 753-509
60-66

Part II.—Early Republic, B.C. 509-366
67-88

Part III.—The Conquest of Italy, B.C. 366-266
89-107

Part IV.—Contest with Carthage, B.C. 264-202
108-146

Part V.—Formation of Empire beyond Italy, in Europe and Africa, B.C. 200-133
147-159

Part VI.—Period of Civil Strife in Italy, and Foreign Wars, ending in Revolution, B.C. 133-44
160-236

(2)Miscellaneous Passages
237-271

xi

xiii

APPENDICES:—

I.List of Important Conjunctions
274-276

II.List of Important Prefixes
277-281

III.List of Important Suffixes
282-286

IV.Groups of Cognate Words
287-288

V.How to Think in Latin
289-292

VI.Short Lives of Roman Authors
293-345

VII.Chronological Outlines of Roman History and Literature
347-363

INDEX
365-368

PLAN OF DYRRACHIUM
opposite page 216

PLAN OF PHARSALUS
opposite page 218

LIST OF PASSAGES FOR TRANSLATION.

DEMONSTRATIONS.

PAGE

16 Fierce encounter with the Germans
Caesar, B. G. i. 52

24 The Music of Arion
Ovid, Fasti ii. 83

32 A rash promise rashly believed
Livy xxv. 19

40 Rashness justly punished
Livy xxv. 19

48 The Happy Life
Vergil, Georg. ii. 490

54 The Tomb of Archimedes
Cicero, Tusc. v. 23. 64

Part I.—The Regal Period, 753-509 B.C.

60 The Vision of Anchises
Vergil, Aen. vi. 777

61 A. The Passing of Romulus
Livy i. 16

B. The Mystery explained
Ovid, Fasti ii. 379

62 A. The Gate of Janus
Livy i. 19

B.
„
„
Vergil, Aen. vii. 607

63 The Sibylline Books
A. Gellius i. 19

64 A. Sextus Tarquinius at Gabii
Livy i. 54

B. The Fall of Gabii
Ovid, Fasti ii. 543

65 The Position of Rome
Cicero, de Rep. ii. 3

66 The Praise of Italy
Vergil, Georg. ii. 136

Part II.—The Early Republic, 509-366 B.C.

67 A. Horatius
Vergil, Aen. viii. 646

B.
„
Livy ii. 10

68 Horatius
Livy ii. 10

69 A. Mucius Scaevola
Livy ii. 12

B.
„
„
Martial, i. 21

70 Battle of Lake Regillus
Livy ii. 20

71 Tribunes of the People
Livy ii. 32

72 Coriolanus
Livy ii. 40

73 Destruction of the Fabii
Ovid, Fasti ii. 175

74 A. Cincinnatus
Florus i. 11. 12

B. ‘In the brave days of old’
Ovid, Fasti iii. 729

75 The Decemvirate. XII. Tables
Livy iii. 32, 34

76 Verginia’s Death not in vain
Livy iii. 49

77 Cossus wins the Spolia Opima
Livy iv. 19

78 First Pay given to Citizen Soldiers
Livy iv. 59

79 A. Lament over Veii
Propertius v. 10. 27

B. The Rise of the Alban Lake
Cicero, de Div. i. 44. 100

80 The Conquest of Veii
Livy v. 21

81 The Battle of the Allia
Livy v. 38

82 A. The Battle of the Allia
Livy v. 38

B. July 18th, a Dies Nefastus
Lucan, Phars. vii. 407

83 Roman Dignity and Courage
Livy v. 41

xiv

xv

xvi

84 A. Manlius Capitolinus and the Sacred Geese
Verg. Aen. viii. 652

B. The Fate of Manlius
Val. Max. vi. de Sev.

85 Camillus, Parens Patriae
Livy v. 49

86 A. Migration to Veii abandoned
Livy v. 55

B. Juno forbids Rebuilding of Troy
Horace, Od. iii. 3. 57

87 First Plebeian Consul
Livy vi. 35

88 Origin of the Floralia
Ovid, Fasti v. 237

Part III.—The Conquest of Italy, 366-266 B.C.

89 Manlius and his son Torquatus
Cicero, de Off. iii. 112

90 An Important Epoch
Livy vii. 29

91 Battle of Mt. Gaurus. M. Valerius Corvus
Livy vii. 33

92 A. Self-sacrifice of Decius Mus
Propertius, iii. 11. 63

B. The Dream of the Consuls
Val. Max. i. de Somn.

93 The Battle of Mt. Vesuvius
Livy viii. 10

94 The Dictator and his Master of the Horse
Livy viii. 30

95 The Caudine Forks
Livy ix. 2

96
„

„The Yoke
Livy ix. 5

97 Rome repudiates the Treaty
Cicero, de Off. iii. 109

98 Battle of Bovianum
Livy ix. 44

99 Battle of Sentinum
Livy x. 28

100 Aims of Pyrrhus. Battle of Heraclea
Justinus xviii. 1

101 Fabricius the Just
Cicero, de Off. iii. 86

102 Appius the Blind
Cicero, de Sen. 16, 37

103 A. The Battle of Asculum
Florus i. 18. 9

B. The Battle near Beneventum
Florus i. 18. 11

104 In Praise of Pyrrhus
Justinus xxv. 5

105 A. Manius Curius Dentatus
Cicero, de Sen. 55

B.
„
„

„
Juvenal xi. 78

C.
„
„

„
Horace, Od. i. 12. 41

106 In Praise of Tarentum
Horace, Od. ii. 6. 9

107 The Praise of Italy
Vergil, Georg. ii. 155

Part IV.—The Contest with Carthage, 264-202 B.C.

108 The Vision of Anchises
Vergil, Aen. vi. 836

109 The Foundation of Carthage
Justinus, xviii. 5

110 Aeneas views the Building of Carthage
Vergil, Aen. i. 419

111 Regulus, a Roman Martyr
Cicero, de Off. iii. 99

112 A. Naval Victory near Mylae
(Adapted)

B. Honour conferred on Duilius
Cicero, de Sen. 44

113 Carthaginian Victory off Drepana
Cicero, N. D. ii. 3. 7

114 A. Lutatius’ Victory off Aegates Insulae
Nepos, Hamilcar i.

B.
„

„
„
„
„
Sil. Ital. vi. 653

115 A. Importance of Second Punic War
Livy xxi. 1

B. Oath of the Boy Hannibal
Livy xxi. 1

116 ‘The paths of glory lead but to the grave’
Juvenal x. 147

117 Character of Hannibal
Livy xxi. 4

118 The Siege of Saguntum
Livy xxi. 7

119 A. The Dream of Hannibal
Cicero, de Div. i. 24. 49

B. The Interpretation
Sil. Ital. iii. 198

120 From the Pyrenees to the Rhone
Livy xxi. 28

121 From the Rhone to Italy
Livy xxi. 30

122 The Descent of the Alps
Livy xxi. 36

123 A. The Battle at the Trebia
Frontinus, Strat. ii. 5. 23

B. The River bars the Retreat
Sil. Ital. iv. 570

124 The Battle of Lake Trasimene
Livy xxii. 4

125
„

„

„
Livy xxii. 5

126 The Death of Flaminius
Sil. Ital. v. 644

127 Q. Fabius Maximus Cunctator
Cicero, de Sen. 10

128 Fabius and his Master of the Horse
Livy xxii. 29

129 Cannae. Destruction of the Roman Infantry
Livy xxii. 47

130 Cannae. ‘Paulus animae magnae prodigus’
Livy xxii. 49

131 A. Maharbal urges Hannibal to march on Rome
Livy xxii. 51

B. Scipio forbids Nobles to abandon Italy
Frontinus, Strat. iv. 7. 39

132 A. Rome’s Heroes
Horace, Od. i. 12. 37

xvii

B. The Dream of Propertius
Propertius iii. 3. 1

133 A. Capua aspires to rival Rome
Horace, Epod. xvi. 1

B. Decius Magius defies Hannibal
Livy xxiii. 10

134 A. ‘Capua became Hannibal’s Cannae’
Florus ii. 6. 21

B. The Punishment of Rebel Capua
Livy xxvi. 16

135 Marcellus at Nola
Livy xxiii. 16

136 Cicero’s Description of Syracuse
Cicero, in Verr. ii. 4. 117

137 Engineering Skill of Archimedes
Livy xxiv. 34

138 Marcellus laments over Syracuse
Livy xxv. 24

139 The Death of Marcellus
Livy xxvii. 27

140 Character of Scipio Africanus Maior
Livy xxvi. 19

141 Scipio takes New Carthage
Livy xxvi. 45

142 Nero’s March to the Metaurus
Livy xxvii. 43

143 The Metaurus
Horace, Od. iv. 4. 29

144 Hannibal leaves Italy
Livy xxx. 19

145 Zama. Before the Battle
Livy xxx. 31

146 Zama. The Order of Battle
Frontinus, Strat. ii. 3. 16

Part V.—Formation of Empire beyond Italy, in Europe and Africa, 200-133 B.C.

147 Battle of Cynoscephalae
Livy xxxiii. 9

148 Flamininus proclaims Freedom of Greece
Livy xxxiii. 32

149 A. Battle of Thermopylae
Frontinus, Strat. ii. 4

B. Battle of Magnesia
Florus i. 24

150 Deaths of Three Great Men
Livy xxxix. 51

151 M. Porcius Cato
Nepos, Cato ii.

152
„
„
Horace, Od. ii. 15

153 Pydna (Aemilius Paulus)
Livy xliv. 41

154
„
„

„
Livy xliv. 41

155 Destruction of Carthage
Florus ii. 15. 11

156 Destruction of Corinth
Vell. Paterc. i. 13

157 The Lusitanian Hannibal
Florus ii. 17. 13

158 Destruction of Numantia
Florus ii. 18. 11

159 Rome the Invincible
Horace, Od. iv. 4. 49

Part VI.—Civil Strife in Italy, and Foreign Wars, ending in Revolution, 133-44 B.C.

160 The Gracchi
Sallust, Iug. 42

161 A. On the Death of Tiberius Gracchus
Cicero, de Off. i. 76

B. On Lex Frumentaria of C. Gracchus
Cicero, Tusc. iii. 20. 48

C. On C. Gracchus as an Orator
Cicero, Brutus 125

162 The Betrayal of Jugurtha
Sallust, Iug. 113

163 A. Arpinum. Birthplace of Cicero and Marius
Juvenal viii. 237

B. Cicero on Marius
Cicero, Marius

164 Teutones annihilated at Aquae Sextiae
Florus iii. 3

165 A. Marius’ Flight from Sulla
Lucan, Phars. ii. 67

B. Marius outlived his fame
Juvenal x. 278

166 Cicero on Civil Strife
Cicero, in Cat. iii. 10

167 Tribunate of M. Livius Drusus
Vell. Paterc. ii. 13

168 A. Outbreak of the Social War at Asculum
Florus iii. 18. 3

B. The Sabellian father’s advice to his sons
Juvenal xiv. 179

169 A. Defeat and Death of Rutilius
Ovid, Fasti vi. 563

B. The Lex Plautia Papiria
Cicero, pro Arch. iv. 7

C. Cicero’s first and only Campaign
Cicero, Phil. xii. 11. 27

D. The Battle near Asculum
Florus iii. 18. 14

170 Sulla’s Character and Bearing
Sallust, Iug. 95

171 A. Mithridates’ Youth and Early Training
Justinus xxxvii. 2

B. His Preparations for Conquest
Justinus xxxvii. 3. 4

172 The Battle of Chaeronea
Frontinus, Strat. ii. 3. 17

173 A. Capture of Athens and the Piraeus
Vell. Paterc. ii. 23

B. Battle of Orchomenus
Frontinus, Strat. ii. 8. 12

C. Peace of Dardanus
Vell. Paterc. ii. 23

174 A. Battles of Sacriportus and the Colline Gate
Lucan, Phars. ii. 134

B.
„

„

„

„
„
Vell. Paterc. ii. 27

175 A. Death of the Younger Marius. Sulla Felix
Vell. Paterc. ii. 27

B. The Sullan Proscriptions
Lucan, Phars. ii.

xviii

176 A. Sulla appointed Dictator
Vell. Paterc. ii. 28

B. Sulla lays down his Dictatorship
Suetonius, Iul. 77

C. Death of Sulla
Val. Max. ix. 3. 8

177 A. Limitation of Tribune’s Right of Veto
Cicero, de Leg. iii. 9. 22

B. Abolition of Corn Distributions
Sallust, Hist., Or. M. Lep.

C. Judicial Functions restored to Senators
Vell. Paterc. ii. 32

D. A Sumptuary Law
A. Gellius ii. 24. 11

178 Speech of Lepidus against Sulla
Sallust, Hist., Or. M. Lep.

179 Sertorius and his Fawn
A. Gellius, xv. 22

180 A. A New Hannibal
Florus iii. 22. 2

B. The Death of Sertorius
Vell. Paterc. ii. 30

181 Lucullus’ Character and Early Career
Cicero, Acad. ii. 1

182 A. A Soldier of Lucullus
Horace, Ep. ii. 2. 26

B. The Wealth of Lucullus
Horace, Ep. i. 6. 40

183 Spartacus and his Gladiators
Florus iii. 20. 3

184 Lucullus Ponticus
Cicero, pro L. Man. 20

185 Pompeius’ Character and Career
Cicero, pro L. Man. 29

186 The Man Caesar
Suetonius, Iul. 45

187 Caesar and the Pirates
Suetonius, Iul. 4

188 A Roman Citizen maltreated
Cicero, in Verr. ii. 5. 62

189 The Lex Gabinia
Vell. Paterc. ii. 31

190 Pompeius clears the Seas of Pirates
Cicero, pro L. Man. 34

191 Pompeius subdues Mithridates and Tigranes
Vell. Paterc. ii. 37

192 A. Caesar Curule Aedile
Suetonius, Iul. 10

B. Caesar Propraetor in Further Spain
Suetonius, Iul. 18

193 Cicero declaims against Catiline
Cicero, in Cat. i. 1

194 The End of Catiline
Sallust, Cat. 61

195 Caesar forms First Triumvirate
Vell. Paterc. ii. 44

196 ‘That day he overcame the Nervii’
Caesar, B. G. ii. 25

197 Naval Battle with the Veneti
Caesar, B. G. iii. 14

198 Caesar’s Bridge across the Rhine
Caesar, B. G. iv. 17

199 Cassivellaunus
Caesar, B. G. v. 19

200 The Gallic uprising. Vercingetorix
Caesar, B. G. vii. 14

201 Siege of Gergovia
Caesar, B. G. vii. 50

202 Siege of Alesia
Caesar, B. G. vii. 84

203 Cicero’s Banishment
Vell. Paterc. ii. 45

204 Cicero’s Return
Cicero, ad Att. iv. 1

205 In Praise of Caesar
Cicero, de Prov. Cons. 33

206 ‘Quem deus vult perdere, prius dementat’
Florus iii. 11. 1

207 Carrhae: after the Battle
Lucan, Phars. i. 98

„

„
„
Horace, Od. iii. 5. 5

„

„
„
Ovid, Fasti vi. 465

208 Cicero’s humane Administration
Cicero, ad Att. v. 21

211 Caesar crosses the Rubicon
Lucan, Phars. i. 213

212 Caesar’s defence before the Senate
Caesar, B. C. i. 32

213 The Campaign round Lerida
Lucan, Phars. iv. 167

214 A. Siege of Massilia
Lucan, Phars. iii. 388

B.
„

„
Caesar, B. C. ii. 14

215 The Death of Curio
Lucan, Phars. iv. 799

216 Dyrrachium
Caesar, B. C. iii. 47

217 Eve of Pharsalus. Pompeius’ Dream
Lucan, Phars. vii. 7

218 Pompeius ill-advised at Pharsalus
Caesar, B. C. iii. 92

219 A. Pharsalus and Cannae compared
Lucan, Phars. vii. 397

B. Battlefields of Pharsalus and Philippi
Vergil, Georg. i. 489

220 How Pompeius died
Caesar, B. C. iii. 103

221 Cato’s Eulogy on Pompeius
Lucan, Phars. ix. 190

222 The Grave of Pompeius
Lucan, Phars. viii. 789

223 ‘Atrox Animus Catonis’
A. Pollio, B. Afr. 88

224 A. Cato Uticensis
Vell. Paterc. ii. 35

B.
„
„
Lucan, Phars. ii. 374

225 Caesar dines with Cicero
Cicero, ad Att. xiii. 52

226 The Death of Caesar
Suetonius, Iul. 82

227 A. In Praise of Caesar
Cicero, Phil. ii. 45

B.
„
„
„
Lucan, Phars. i. 143

C. Apotheosis of Caesar
Suetonius, Iul. 88

xix

xx

230 A. Peroration of Second Philippic
Cicero, Phil. ii. 46

B. On the Murder of Cicero
Martial, iii. 66

231 A. Cicero as Orator and Poet
Juvenal x. 114

B. Cicero as Advocate
Catullus xlix.

232 The Death of Cicero
Livy, fr.

233 A. In Praise of Cicero
Vell. Paterc. ii. 66

B.
„
„
„
Livy fr.

234 Laus Italiae
Propertius iii. 22

235 Laus Romae
Claudian, de Cons. Stil. iii. 150

236 ‘Quod cuncti gens una sumus’
Prudentius, c. Symm. ii. 583

Miscellaneous Passages.

238 A. Propempticon Vergilio
Horace, Od. i. 3

B.
„
„

„
Horace, Od. i. 3

239 A. Propempticon Maecio Celeri
Statius, Sil. ii. 2. 1

B.
„
„

„
„
Statius, Sil. ii. 2. 42

240 A. Seneca
Seneca, Ep. xv. 8

B.
„
Seneca, Medea 920

241 A. Criticism of Poets
Horace, Ep. ii. 1. 50

B.
„
„
Terence
Caesar, ap. Sueton.

C. Ovid on his Contemporaries
Ovid, Tr. iv. 10. 41

242 A. A Storm at Sea
Ovid, Tr. i. 2. 19

B. The Passing of Romulus
Ovid, Fasti ii. 493

C. Thunder and Hail
Pacuvius ap. Cic.

D. The Argo in a Gale
Val. Fl. Arg. viii. 328

243 A. Lesbia’s Sparrow
Catullus iii.

B. ‘My Parrot, an obtrusive bird’
Statius, Sil. ii. 4

C. The Lap-dog and its Portrait
Martial i. 109

244 A. The Roman Satirists
Quintilian x. 1. 93

B. A Criticism of Lucilius
Horace, Sat. i. 4. 1

C. Why Juvenal wrote Satire
Juvenal i. 19

D. Juvenal’s Subject
Juvenal i. 81

245 A. Virtue defined
Lucilius, fr.

B. Poor men of mighty deeds
Juvenal xi. 90

C. Persius in praise of his Tutor
Persius v. 19

246 A. Objections to a permanent Theatre
Livy, Epit. 48

B. Scenic Arrangements
Suetonius ap. Serv.

C. The Awnings
Lucretius iv. 75

D. The Law of Otho
Livy, Epit. 99

E. Usurpers of Equestrian Privileges
Horace, Epod. iv. 11

247 A. The Web of Fate
Catullus lxiv. 311

B. The Skill of Arachne
Ovid, Met. vi. 19

C. The Pastime of Circe
Vergil, Aen. vii. 10

248 A. The Monster approaches Andromeda
Ovid, Met. iv. 671

B. How Perseus won his Bride
Ovid, Met. iv. 721

249 A. Andromeda
Manilius, Astr. v. 567

B. The Death of the Monster
Manilius, Astr. v. 595

250 A. The School of Flavius
Horace, Sat. i. 6. 71

B. Ovid at School
Ovid. Tr. iv. 10. 15

C. The Schoolmaster’s Life
Juvenal vii. 222

D. Early School
Martial xiv. 223

E. Homogeneous Divisions
Quintilian i. 2. 23

F. Plagosus Orbilius
Martial ix. 68. 1

251 A. Books
Ovid, Tr. i. 1. 1

B.
„
Tibullus iii. 1. 9

C.
„
Martial i. 2

252 A. Arethusa
Ovid, Met. v. 585

B.
„
Ovid, Met. v. 614

253 A. Hylas
Propertius i. 20. 17

B.
„
Val. Fl. Arg. iii. 581

254 The Portmanteau Fish
Plautus, Rud. iv. 3. 58

255 A. ‘Humani nihil a me alienum puto’
Terence, Haut. i. 1. 15

B. Cicero on Terence
Suetonius, vit. Ter. 34

xxi

C. Defence of Contaminatio
Terence, Haut. prol. 16

256 A. The Song of the Nightingale
Pliny, H. N. x. 81

B. A Corinthian Statuette
Pliny, Ep. iii. 6

257 A. Helps to Style
Pliny, Ep. vii. 9

B. Importance of Concentration
Quintilian, Inst. Or. x. 3. 28

258 A. De Simonide
Phaedrus iv. 23

B. Mons Parturiens
Phaedrus iv. 24

C. Truth will out
Phaedrus, App. 22

259 A. The Golden Age
Tibullus i. 3. 35

B. Birthday Wishes
Tibullus ii. 2

260 A. On the delights of Hunting with a Note-book
Pliny, Ep. i. 6

B. Oenone Paridi
Ovid, Her. v. 17

C. The Hunting Party
Vergil, Aen. iv. 129

261 A. A Roman Day
Martial iv. 8

B. The Simple Life
Horace, Sat. i. 6. 110

262 A. In Praise of Agricola
Tacitus, Agr. 46

B. Britain: its Climate and Products
Tacitus, Agr. 12

263 A. Trimalchio’s Supper
Petronius 50

B.
„

„
Petronius 51

264
I. Pronunciation: H

„
H

II. A Street Cry
III. K, Q, C

IV. U

Quintilian i. 5. 20
Catullus lxxxiv.
Cicero, Div. ii. 40. 84
Ter. Maurus
Plautus, Men. 555

265
I. Proverbial Expressions
II.
„

„

III.
„

„

IV.
„

„

V.
„

„

VI.
„

„

VII.
„

„

VIII.
„

„

IX.
„

„

X.
„

„

XI.
„

„

XII.
„

„

XIII.
„

„

XIV.
„

„

XV.
„

„

XVI.
„

„

Caesar, B. C. ii. 27
Cicero, Phil. xii. 5
Horace, Ep. i. 2. 40
Juvenal ii. 83
Livy xxi. 10
Lucretius ii. 79
Martial i. 32
Plautus, Bacch. i. 2. 36

Terence, Eun. prol. 41
Terence, Ph. ii. 4. 14
Pub. Syrus
Seneca, de Brev. Vit. i. 2
Tacitus, Agr. 30
Varro, de Re Rust. iii. 1
Vergil, Aen. vi. 95
Vergil, Aen. i. 461

266 A. ‘Whom the gods love die young’
Quintilian, Inst. Or. vi. 1. 9

B. Servius Sulpicius to Cicero.
Cicero, ad Fam. iv. 5

267 A. Catullus at his Brother’s Grave
Catullus ci.

B. To Calvus on his Wife’s Death
Catullus xcvi.

C. Cornelia’s Plea to her Husband
Propertius iv. 11. 1

D. Mors Tibulii
Ovid, Am. iii. 9

268 Apophoreta
Martial

269
„
Martial

270 Epitaphs and Inscriptions.

I. On Naevius
II. On Ennius
III. On Pacuvius
IV. On Plautus
V. On Tibullus
VI. In tumulo hominis felicis
VII. Thermopylae

Naevius
Ennius
Pacuvius
Plautus
Domitius Marsus
Ausonius, Epit. 36
Cicero, Tusc. i. 42. 101

271 Epilogue.

A. Horace
Horace, Od. iii. 30

B. Ovid
Ovid, Met. xv. 871

C. Martial
Martial iv. 89

INDEX OF AUTHORS

xxii

xxiii

Asinius Pollio, 223
Aulus Gellius, 63, 177, 179
Ausonius, 270

Caesar, 16, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 241, 265
Catullus, 231, 243, 247, 264, 267
Cicero, 54, 65, 79, 89, 97, 101, 102, 105, 111, 112, 113, 119, 127, 136, 161, 163, 166, 169, 177, 181, 184, 185, 188, 190, 193,

204, 205, 208, 225, 227, 230, 264, 265, 266, 270

Claudian, 235

Domitius Marsus, 270

Ennius, 270

Florus, 74, 103, 134, 149, 155, 157, 158, 164, 168, 169, 180, 183, 206
Frontinus, 123, 131, 146, 149, 172, 173

Horace, 86, 105, 106, 132, 133, 143, 152, 159, 182, 207, 238, 241, 244, 246, 250, 261, 265, 271

Justinus, 100, 104, 109, 171
Juvenal, 105, 116, 163, 165, 168, 231, 244, 246, 250, 265

Livy, 32, 40, 61, 62, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, 115, 117,

118, 120, 121, 122, 124, 125, 128, 129, 130, 131, 133, 134, 135, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 144, 145, 147, 148, 150, 153,
154, 232, 233, 246, 265

Lucan, 82, 165, 174, 175, 207, 211, 213, 214, 215, 217, 219, 221, 222, 224, 227
Lucilius, 245
Lucretius, 246, 265

Manilius, 249
Martial, 69, 230, 243, 250, 251, 261, 265, 268, 269, 271

Naevius, 270
Nepos, 114, 151

Ovid, 24, 61, 64, 73, 74, 88, 169, 207, 241, 242, 247, 248, 250, 251, 252, 260, 267, 271

Pacuvius, 242, 270
Persius, 245
Petronius, 263
Phaedrus, 258
Plautus, 254, 264, 265
Pliny the Elder, 256
Pliny the Younger, 256, 257, 260
Propertius, 79, 92, 132, 234, 253, 267
Prudentius, 236
Publilius Syrus, 265

Quintilian, 244, 250, 257, 264, 266

Sallust, 160, 162, 170, 177, 178, 194
Seneca, 240, 265
Silius Italicus, 114, 119, 123, 126
Statius, 239, 243
Suetonius, 176, 186, 187, 192, 226, 227, 246, 255

Tacitus, 262, 265
Terence, 255, 265
Terentianus Maurus, 264
Tibullus, 251, 259

Valerius Flaccus, 242, 253
Valerius Maximus, 84, 92, 176
Varro, 265
Velleius Paterculus, 156, 167, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 180, 189, 191, 195, 203, 224, 233
Vergil, 48, 60, 62, 66, 67, 84, 107, 108, 110, 219, 247, 260, 265

INTRODUCTION
1

1. Heading.—The selections in this book are in most cases intelligible apart from their context. In cases where this is
not so, you will find it a valuable exercise to endeavour to arrive at the context for yourself. In all cases, however, you
should pay attention to the Heading, which will give you a useful clue to the meaning of the passage,

2. Author.—When you see the author’s name, try to remember what you know about him. For example, Livy, the
historian of Rome and friend of Augustus, the contemporary of Vergil and Ovid. The short Lives, pp. 293-345, will tell
you the chief facts about the authors from whom the selections are taken, and will give you a brief summary of their
chief works. Also, if you refer to Appendix VII., pp. 347-363, you will gain some idea of the time in which the authors
lived and of their contemporaries.

3. Read the Passage through, carefully.—As you read—
(1) Notice all allusions and key-words that may help you to the sense of the passage.
(2) Pay special attention to the opening sentence. In translating a passage much depends on getting the first
sentence right.
(3) Notice especially the connectives which introduce sentences and clauses marked off by commas. In this way you
will be able to distinguish between a Principal Sentence and a Subordinate Clause.
(For List of Conjunctions see Appendix I. pp. 274-276.)

HELPS TO VOCABULARY.

4. Through English Derivatives.—English derivatives, if used in the proper way, may give you valuable help in
inferring meanings. The reason why you must generally not translate the Latin word by the derived English word is that,
as you probably know, many English derivatives have come from Latin words which had wholly or in part lost their
earlier classical meaning, or from Latin words not found at all in classical Latin. Yet in such cases the English word may
be far from useless. You must take care to let it suggest to you the original or root-meaning, leaving the correct meaning
of the Latin, whether the same as the English word or not, to be determined by the context.
For example, sē-cūr-us does not mean secure, but (like secure in Shakespeare and Milton) care-less.

‘This happy night the Frenchmen are secure,
Having all day caroused and banqueted.’

Shakespeare, Hen. VI. Part 1. II. i. 11.

In-crēd-ib-il-is, on the other hand, often cannot be better translated than by incredible, and im-plācā-bilis by
implacable.
Notice, too, how often in the case of verbs the supine stem will suggest to you the meaning of the Latin through some
English derivative, which the present stem conceals.
For example:—

pingo
pictum
picture
suggests
to paint.

caveo
cautum caution
„
„ beware.

colo
cultum
culture
„
„ till.

fallo
falsum
false
„
„ deceive.

5. Through French Derivatives.—Sometimes, when you cannot think of an English derivative, a French word
that you know will help you to the meaning of the Latin.
For example:—

L.
F.

pontem pont
suggests
bridge.

gustum goût
„
taste.

prātum
pré
„
meadow.

tālem
tel
„
such.

bĭbĕre
boire
„
to drink.

But, in order to make French derivatives a real help to you, you must know something of the origin of the French
language and of the chief rules that govern the pronunciation (and therefore the spelling) of French. Without going too
much into detail, it may help you to remember that—
(1) French has taken many words from colloquial Latin, which in the days of Cicero was very different from classical
Latin.
For example:—

Literary Latin.
Popular Latin.
French.

equus
caballus
cheval
horse.

pugna
batalia
bataille
battle.

os
bucca
bouche
mouth.

2

3

(2) Unaccented syllables are usually dropped.
For example:—

cérv-um
cerf
stag.

bonitátem bonté
goodness.

(3) The general tendency of French is towards smoothness and contraction.
For example:—

L.
F.

bestiam
bête
beast.

fact-um
fait
deed.

spiss-um épais
thick.

coll-um
cou
neck.

In fact, bearing in mind the caution given you, it is an excellent rule to try to think out the meaning of the Latin by the
help of English and French derivatives.

6. Compound Words.—When you come to a word which you cannot translate, and in regard to which English and
French derivatives do not help you, break up the word, if a compound, into its simple elements of Prefix, Stem,
Suffix. Then from the meaning of its root or stem and from the force of the prefix and suffix, and by the help of the
context, try to arrive at an English word to suit the sense.
In order to be able to do this you should have some knowledge of—
(1) A few simple rules for the vowel changes of verbs in composition. Thus:
a before two consonants (except ng) often changes to e.

E.g. sacr-o, con-secr-o; damn-o, con-demn-o.

a before one consonant and before ng often changes to i.

E.g. fac-io, ef-fic-io; căd-o, ac-cid-o; tang-o, con-ting-o.
But grăd-ior, ag-grĕd-ior.

a before l and another consonant changes to u.

E.g. salt-are, in-sult-are.

ĕ changes to ĭ (but not e before two consonants) and ae to i.

E.g. ten-ere, ob-tin-ere; quaer-ere, in-quir-ere.

au changes to u.

E.g. claud-ere, in-clud-ere.

(2) Prefixes:—To help you to detach the prefix more readily, notice these simple euphonic changes, all of which result
in making the pronunciation smoother and easier. Thus:—
(i.) The last consonant of a Latin prefix is often made the same as, or similar to, the first consonant of the

stem.

E.g. ad-fero = affero; ob-pono = op-pono; com(=cum)-tendo = con-tendo.

(ii.) The final consonant of a prefix is often dropped before two consonants.

E.g. ad-scendo = a-scendo.

Notice also that the prepositional prefixes to verbs express different ideas in different combinations.
Thus, sometimes the prefix has a somewhat literal prepositional force.

E.g. per-currere = to run through.

But sometimes an intensive force.

E.g. per-terrere = to thoroughly frighten.

In all such cases you must be partly guided by the context.
(For List of Important Prefixes, see Appendix II. pp. 277—281.)
(3) Suffixes (other than grammatical inflexions).
A knowledge of the most important suffixes will often help you to the correct meaning of a Latin word, the root of
which is familiar to you.
Thus from the √ag = drive, move, we have—
by addition of -tor
(= agent or doer of an action), actor = a doer, agent.

„
„
„ -men (= acts or results of acts), agmen = a course, line of march, &c.

„
„
„ -ilis
(= belonging to, able to), agilis = easily moved, agile.

4

„
„
„ -ito
(= forcible or repeated action), agito = put in action, agitate.

(For List of Important Suffixes, see Appendix III. pp. 282—286.)
(4) Cognates, that is, words related in meaning through a common root. You will find it very useful to make for
yourself lists of cognate words.
Thus from the √gna, gno = know, we have—

gna-rus = knowing.
i-gnarus (= in + gnarus) = ignorant.
nos-co (= gno-sco) = to get a knowledge of.
i-gno-sco = not to know, pardon.
no-bilis (= gno-bilis) = that can be known, famous, noble.
no-men (= gno-men) = a name.

To group together in this manner words of common origin and words closely associated in meaning is one of the best
ways in which you can increase your vocabulary.
(For additional Examples of Cognates, see Appendix IV. pp. 287-8.)

HELPS TO TRANSLATION.

You have now read the passage through carefully, and thought out the vocabulary to the best of your ability. Begin then
to translate the opening sentence, and pay great attention to these

7. General Rules.—(1) Underline the Principal Verb, Subject (if expressed), and Object (if any).
(2) If the sentence contains only one finite verb, all you have to do is to group round Subject, or Verb, or Object the
words and phrases that belong to each of the three.
(3) Translate the sentence literally. Do this mentally, without writing it down.
(4) Then write down the best translation you can.
For example:—

At GERMANI celeriter, consuetudine sua phalange facta, IMPETUS gladiorum EXCEPERUNT.
But the Germans quickly formed into a phalanx, as was their custom, and received the attacks of the
swords (i.e. of the Romans with drawn swords).

(5) If the sentence contains one or more subordinate clauses, consider each subordinate clause as if it were
bracketed off separately, and then deal with each clause as if it were a principal sentence, finding out its Subject,
Verb, Object, and adding to each its enlargements. Then return to the sentence as a whole, and group round its
Subject, Predicate, and Object the various subordinate clauses which belong to each.

8. Help through Analysis.—Very often analysis will help you to find out the proper relation of the subordinate
clauses to the three parts of the Principal Sentence. You need not always analyse on paper, but do it always in your
mind. You will find an example of a simple method of analysis at the close of Demonstrations I and IV, pp. 23, 47.
When analysing, notice carefully that:—
(1) An enlargement of a Noun may be
(a) An adjective
TERTIAM aciem.

(b) A noun in apposition
Publius Crassus ADULESCENS.

(c) A dependent genitive
impetus GLADIORUM.

(d) A participle or participial phrase nostris LABORANTIBUS.
(e) An adjectival clause
Publius Crassus QUI EQUITATUI PRAEERAT.

(2) An enlargement of a Verb may be
(a) An adverb
CELERITER exceperunt.

(b) A prepositional phrase EX CONSUETUDINE SUA exceperunt.
(c) An ablative absolute
PHALANGE FACTA exceperunt.

(d) An adverbial clause
ID CUM ANIMADVERTISSET, Publius Crassus misit.

9. Help through Punctuation.—Though only the full-stop was used by the ancients, the punctuation marks which
are now used in all printed texts should be carefully noticed, especially in translating long and involved sentences.
Thus in Demonstrations III and IV notice how the subordinate clauses are for the most part enclosed in commas.

10. Help through Scansion and Metre.—A knowledge of this is indispensable in translating verse. To scan the
lines will help you to determine the grammatical force of a word, and a knowledge of metre will enable you to grasp the
poet’s meaning as conveyed by the position which he assigns to the various words, and the varying emphasis which

5

6

results from variation of metre. For example:—
(1) A grammatical help.—You know that final -a is short in nom. and voc. sing. 1st Decl., and in neut. plural, and is
long in abl. sing. 1st Decl. and 2nd Imperat. 1st Conj.
Thus in Demonstration II (p. 24) you can easily determine the grammatical form of finals in -a.
In Sentence IV agnă, in VI cervă, in VIII iunctă columbă, in IX Cynthiă are all short and nom. sing.
In Sentence V umbrā unā are long and abl. sing. in agreement.
(2) A help to the poet’s meaning.—The more you know of the principles of scansion, the better able you will be to
understand and appreciate the skill with which a great poet varies his metre and chooses his words.

11. Help through a Study of the Period in Latin.—One great difference between English and Latin Prose is
that, while modern English is to a great extent a language of short, detached sentences, Latin expresses the sense by
the passage as a whole, and holds the climax in suspense until the delivery of the last word. ‘This mode of expression
is called a PERIOD (a circuĭtus or ambĭtus verborum), because the reader, in order to collect together the words of
the Principal Sentence, must make a circuit, so to say, round the inserted clauses,’ 2 ‘Latin possesses what English
does not, a mode of expression by means of which, round one main idea are grouped all its accessory ideas, and
there is thus formed a single harmonious whole, called the PERIOD.’ 3

A PERIOD then is a sentence containing only one main idea (the Principal Sentence) and several Subordinate Clauses.
The Periodic style is generally used for History and Description, and is best seen in Cicero and Livy.
The following is a good example of the Period in Latin:—

4VOLSCI exiguam spem in armis, alia
undique abscissa, cum tentassent, praeter
cetera adversa loco quoque iniquo ad
pugnam congressi, iniquiore ad fugam, cum
ab omni parte caederentur, ad preces a
certamine versi, dedito imperatore
traditisque armis, sub iugum missi, cum
singulis vestimentis ignominiae cladisque
pleni DIMITTUNTUR.

The VOLSCIANS found that now they were severed from

every other hope, there was but little in prolonging the
conflict. In addition to other disadvantages they had engaged
on a spot ill-adapted for fighting and worse for flight. Cut to
pieces on every side they abandoned the contest and cried for
quarter. After surrendering their commander and delivering
up their arms, they passed under the yoke, and with one
garment each WERE SENT to their homes covered with
disgrace and defeat.

Notice here that
(1) There is only one main idea, that of the ignominious return of the Volscians to their homes.
(2) The rest describes the attendant circumstances of the surrender and of the causes that led to it.
(3) In English we should translate by at least four separate sentences.
(4) The Latin contains only forty-eight words, while the English contains eighty-one.
Professor Postgate (‘Sermo Latinus,’ p. 45) gives the following example of the way in which a Latin PERIOD may be
built up:—
BALBUS vir optimus, dux clārissimus et
multis mihi beneficiis carus, rogitantibus
Arvernis ut populi Romani māiestātem
ostentāret suīque simul imperi monumentum
eis relinqueret, MŪRUM laterīcium, vīginti
pedes lātum, sexāginta altitūdine et ita in
immensum porrectum ut vix tuis ipse oculis
crēderes tantum esse, nēdum aliis
persuāderes, non sine adverso suo rūmore
ut qui principātum adfectaret
AEDIFICAVIT.

BALBUS, an excellent man and most distinguished

commander, who had endeared himself to me by numerous
kindnesses, was requested by the Arverni to make a display
of the power and greatness of Rome, and at the same time to
leave behind him a memorial of his own government. He
accordingly BUILT a WALL of bricks, twenty feet wide,
sixty high, and extending to such a prodigious length that
you could hardly trust your own eyes that it was so large, still
less induce others to believe it. But he did not escape the
malign rumour that he had designs upon the imperial crown.

Here, as in the previous example,
(1) There is only one main idea,

BALBUS MURUM AEDIFICAVIT.

(2) The rest consists of—
(a) Enlargements of BALBUS—vir optimus . . . carus; placed, therefore, directly after BALBUS.
(b) Enlargements of MURUM—laterīcium . . . persuaderes; placed, therefore, directly after MURUM.
(c) Enlargements of AEDIFICAVIT

rogitantibus . . . relinqueret = the cause of the building of the wall.
(murum) non sine . . . adfectaret = the attendant circumstances of the building of the wall; placed, therefore,
before AEDIFICAVIT.

(3) In English we must translate by at least three separate sentences, and, where necessary, translate participles as finite

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